Wishing Well
by raiTonight29
Summary: “Why won’t you answer me, bastard!” Ed fumed. But Roy merely looked apologetically at him. “He can’t.” Breda said from behind him. “What do you mean ‘He can’t’!” “He can’t.” Breda repeated matter-of-factly, “He’s gone mute. He can’t talk.” RoyxEd.
1. Foal

I would like to inform everyone that the original idea of this fic was from Flair's "Colonel Foal" which was taken from Dakt37's cute comic strip entitled, "A Little Problem." I strongly suggest you to go check their works. They're really good!

**Wishing Well**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or the characters therein. They all rightfully belong to Hiromu Arakawa. The original idea of this fic was not mine either. It all started out from Dakt37.**

**Chapter 1: Foal**

The cold wind sang a silent dirge as fallen gold and red leaves danced and rattled like snakes across the ground as Ed leaned over an old and grey well. He sighed and it echoed around the well's parapet and his eyes narrowed at its bottom, almost as if he could see its depth.

He took a shaky step back and tilted his head upwards to see an old sign perched on top of the ancient well. The sign had mellowed over with age and moss and ferns covered its edges and Ed had to squint to read the faded red inscriptions:

"_Drop a coin and ring the bell for three times. Close your eyes… take a slow breath and whisper your silent wish to the well and no matter how impossible it is… It shall come to life."_

Ed smirked and shook his head at how crazy it sounded to his ears. He believed that you will get what you want through hard work and determination. The world required an equivalent exchange. Like what he had done to retrieve his younger brother's real body from the gate. Prayer and wishes do not get you anywhere. Only false hope and painful waiting.

He looked at the rusty bell that hung above the well and at the tattered and worn rope that coiled like a treacherous snake around one of the well's wooden pillars. He grabbed at the rope and he closed his eyes as he felt the silent trickle of alchemic energy flowing in his veins. He opened his eyes and they gleamed dangerously as he glared at the well.

There was alchemy lurking around its structure and he mentally kicked himself for not seeing it sooner. The alchemist in him worked and demanded that he find out if what the inscriptions written on that sign were true. He dug in his pocket and he pulled out a coin.

He took a step forward and placed his human hand on the well's mouth and alchemy ran in his veins and energy licked at his skin. The alchemy was old but strong and he lifted his hand and he dropped the coin and it connected with the water with a 'plop' and for a moment the energy lifted and sizzled underneath his palm. He grabbed the rope again and he pulled and the bell tinkled loudly. It echoed across the silent hill and the energy intensified on every ring.

After the third pull Ed stepped forward again and closed his eyes as he settled both of his hands on the well's gaping mouth and the alchemy flared briefly as he took a slow breath and he bent over to whisper his wish.

He had been holding it ever since day one. And a brief image of a gorgeous man with beautiful midnight blue eyes and shiny onyx hair flashed in his mind's eye. He had been holding it off for years and now that he was eighteen he let his desires free. Now that his quest for the philosopher's stone over and Al's body regained he was free to anything now. His brother was happy with his mechanic back home and Al had been asking him to settle down. Find a person he was happy with and get married.

Ed chuckled. He wanted his superior officer; that was as clear and as bright as day. But only if the bastard could shut his mouth for once and swallow all those sarcastic comments… then probably.

He shook his head and whispered,

"_I want to find someone for me at the right age and time. And that they'd know how to lock their voice boxes up." _Ed snorted as he imagined Roy with duct tape over his mouth and he frowned. He loved _that _voice. How could he wish that? But then, this well couldn't possibly make his wish come true right? Because for one, Roy could never really return any of his feelings.

* * *

Roy Mustang sat up and buried his face in his hands as he fought to stifle the headache that had somehow crept into him in his sleep. He sighed silently and a hand went up to brush the offending black strands that matted his forehead.

He glanced at the clock and he swallowed a rather colorful curse when he suddenly realized he had to dodge several bullets as soon as he got past the office door later.

He swung his feet to the sides of the bed, miscalculated the distance between his feet and the floor and ended up in a dejected heap on the carpeted ground.

He grunted softly as he helped himself regain a bit of dignity and sat up, cross-legged. He frowned at the carpet as if it had personally offended him. He _never _in his life trip over air before. And to miscalculate the distance was utterly stupid and humiliating. It was almost as if he had shrunk and-

"_Oh God"_ Roy muttered but no sound escaped his mouth and he slapped a hand over his mouth before lowering it and then tried speaking again.

Keyword. Tried.

He stared at the carpet disbelievingly, a hand over his throat. How the hell did he lose his fucking voice? He was about to pass it up as a sore throat but that scratchy feeling wasn't present and his throat didn't feel like a thousand thorns were embedded on it.

He tried speaking again, hoping that it was just temporary but then again, no sound escaped from his soft lips. He shivered. He was perfectly fine yesterday. He had not used his voice too much because he had been signing those cursed papers for god knows how long.

"_For the love of the Gate…" _Roy mouthed and he slowly got up. The room swayed for a while and when Roy regained his balance –after hanging on to one of the bed pillar's like a fucking lifeline- he glanced around the room curiously, almost as if the place was new to him.

And it was, because it almost looked like he was seeing it at a different height, a different angle. And he squinted and he paled all over.

He. Was. SHORTER.

He made a mad dash to his bathroom and stared at himself at the mirror (after getting a footstool, by the way). And then he realized that he was looking at his face of when he was fifteen or sixteen years old. And he was at the very exact height he had been when he was fifteen. Which meant he was short. So very short. Shorter than Ed, perhaps.

And at the memory of the alchemist, -the already tall and mature alchemist at that- Roy groaned. And at that moment he wished that the floor'd open up and eat him. He was so dead if he wasn't already. And was probably in a much more devilish hell than what he knew existed.

Because for one, he was mute, which meant he couldn't snap or yell at anyone. Two, he looked like a minor. And third, he was shorter than Edward Elric.

Roy groaned. _Oh Gate help me._

* * *

Ed entered the office at his normal brisk and impatient manner. Ever since he had regained Alphonse's body and his real left leg he had been stuck at the office doing and filing paperwork and be sent to inspections once every two months with the bastard of his dreams.

He stepped in and blinked at the sight that greeted him.

Normally, Hawkeye and Falman would be at their respective desks, looking as immaculate and hard-working as ever and Havoc would be doodling stupidly at the margins of the files that needed filing or initialing. Fury and Breda would have been buried in schematics and logistics respectively. And the colonel was supposed to be at his inner sanctum. Working his arse off with all that stupid paperwork.

But today was obviously not normal for Hawkeye and Falman weren't at their desks, Havoc was not there as well and had left an undone doodle of a girl and diagrams and plans littered the desks of Fuery and Breda, half-made and undoubtedly abandoned.

He blinked and glanced at the clock near the filing cabinet. It wasn't even lunch yet. So where was everybody?

A muffled thud came from Roy's office and a heated conversation assaulted his ears so he sauntered towards the door, knocked and promptly came in.

"Hey, what's everybody excited about?... Oh." His eyes landed on a boy no older than sixteen with onyx hair, sitting at one of the couches and with the uniform of Colonel and -… SAY WHAT?!

Ed did a double take, hoping to have missed the insignias on his shoulders, but the lad was indeed a Colonel and he looked amazingly like bastard, only younger.

"Hello Edward." Lieutenant Hawkeye greeted him and she was standing next to the boy whose head was down, looking embarrassed.

"Good Morning, Lieutenant. Umm… who's…?"

Before Edward could finish the boy looked up and he stared at the midnight blue eyes only one person he knew had. But the face was rounder and the eyes larger but much cuter than the Mustang he was accustomed to seeing. But the face was familiar. He had seen it a lot at the picture frames that littered the Hughes' house. But this time he was seeing it for real.

Ed, being a genius, put two and two together and immediately recognized the lad, and then exclaimed, "BASTARD?!?"

Roy dropped his head back on his hands and sagged.

"What happened?" Edward demanded and he got shrugs as replies.

"Well, apparently, Roy has drunk some sort of Elixir and is now looking like a sixteen year old." Havoc muttered sarcastically but Riza glared at him.

"But why? How did this happen?" He was asking Roy now but the man-turned-boy merely stared at him, wanting to answer but cannot.

"Why won't you answer me, bastard?!" Ed fumed. But Roy merely looked apologetically at him.

"He can't." Breda said from behind him.

"What do you mean 'He can't'?!"

"He can't." Breda repeated matter-of-factly, "He's gone mute. He can't talk."

And at that Ed paled all over. The bastard? mute? Why? How? What the hell happened? He should probably ask someone to check Hell's temperature because he was sure as hell it had frozen over! The bastard did _not _lose his voice! He could not!

It was impossible! He could not even imagine it! The bastard –Roy- needed his voice and Edward –not that he'd admit it- loved it as well. That voice was his anchor and sometimes it was his drug. That smooth, deep, sexy voice was _his_ personal brand of heroine. And a Roy with no voice was like Mona Lisa without her smile. And Hughes without his freaking camera and fucking pictures! And Armstrong without those freaky sparkles! And Winry without her precious wrench.

Ed was pulled back from his crazy reverie when Roy sighed silently and then stood up, with Ed directly in front of him. The office froze like someone had just pressed the 'Pause' button. Silence dragged as all eyes locked upon the pair like they could not believe what they were seeing. And Fuery actually took off his glasses, wiped them clean of imaginary dirt, and then replaced them on top of his nose again.

Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist, Hero of the People, after years of struggle and ranting, was now taller than Roy Mustang, Flame Alchemist, Hero of the Ishval Rebellion and Ultimate Bastard Extraordinaire. And was not just taller. He was broader, more masculine and was at least half a head taller now. Given that he was at least half a head shorter than Havoc.

Roy blinked, his wide black eyes staring at Edward innocently and Edward had to fight down a squeal and to desperately stop a nosebleed. _That _was the cutest thing he had ever seen in his entire life! … Wait, back up… he hadn't just thought of that, had he? Wut teh…

But Roy's mouth fell into a 'D' lying sideways of realization when he grasped the fact that Ed was indeed taller and his face was stuck in a silent 'WTF?'

But before any of them could utter a word the pale mahogany office door of the de-aged Colonel flung open and a flurry of blue, gold and black dashed straight to where Ed and Roy were staring at each other with wide eyes.

"Hey, Roy! I need those files regarding- Oh my God what the hell happened to you?"

And at that, Roy could only groan.

Yup, hell was starting to sound very appealing right now.

* * *

A/N: So, Chapter One ends. I hope you enjoyed this little bunny. And I hope I didn't anger anybody by posting this fic without any notice. Please review! And Music of the Heart shall be updated soon. I think... O_o... I'm extremely sorry for all the late updates. I'll get around to all of my other stories soon. Please review and let me know whether I'd be better off deleting this or continuing it.


	2. Questions

I'm sorry. There's a bit of a mistake here, folks. The idea of de-aging Mustang and shortening his height were Dakt37's. Not mine. But all the other ideas other than the de-aging and the shrinking are mine. The wishing well, the being mute, and it being a multi-chapter fic is all mine. I just wanted to make that clear.

And there was a little matter about Ed's height. And I thank Shadena for pointing this out. Based on what I have written, Ed is half a head shorter than Havoc. I would like to clarify that he is a full head shorter than Havoc without his platform boots and that strange lock of hair that manages to stick up on his head every time. So when he wears the boots and with that wayward cowlick he manages to be half a head shorter than Havoc.

Anyway, on to the story!

**Wishing Well**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or the characters therein. They all rightfully belong to Hiromu Arakawa.**

**Chapter 2: Questions**

"Hey, Roy! I need those files regarding- Oh my God what the hell happened to you?" Maes Hughes exclaimed as he registered the shrinking and the youthfulness of his best friend's structure and face. This was the face of his sixteen-year-old bunkmate and roommate. That was the face of a boy in a Colonel's uniform. And that was ROY MUSTANG!

Maes' jaw dropped for a moment before it worked, "I think I've time traveled or something."

If Roy could groan he would have but he settled for rolling his eyes instead. Here was what'd make his day even better. Maes Hughes, his ever loyal but annoying best friend. His day couldn't get much better can it?

But then again, before anyone could comment, a large muscled man entered the already crammed office. Because wherever Hughes was, Major Alex Louis Armstrong was also bound to be there. And so he was. And he unleashed a blinding array of sparkles while he flexed his muscles under his polished and pressed uniform.

Spoke too soon.

Roy mentally did a somersault and fell flat on his face. Fate was jinxing him. He was sure of it.

"OH!" Armstrong exclaimed in his deep booming voice, "Who is this charming young lad, Edward Elric? An acquaintance of yours? Wait…" Armstrong paused and stared at Roy pointedly. He saw this face before. Ah, yes. This was what Major Flame had looked like during the Ishval Rebellio- WHAT?!

"Colonel Mustang, is that you?!"

Roy rolled his eyes. Of course it's me, you baboon. Who would have these devilishly sexy eyes and raven colored hair other than me? Hmm, wow, his ego didn't seem to have diminished.

"Roy, what happened?" Hughes exclaimed and he was torn between laughing his ass off and comforting his de-aged best friend. But his face broke and a manic grin twisted his thin lips.

Roy threw his hands in the air and then fisted them on his hair, startling both Edward and Riza but Hughes seemed unaffected.

"Oh, C'mon Roy. It couldn't be that bad. Who knows maybe the women would want a younger version of the Mustang." Hughes attempted to console but Roy merely flashed him The Finger. And that warranted a snicker from Havoc and Breda and an amused smiled from Hawkeye and Edward.

Roy flopped back down on the couch and buried his face in his hands. _And whimpered._

And at that Hughes face eased down to a gentle look of sympathy and amusement. Roy was suffering silently, that was evident. Seriously, who wouldn't freak out to find yourself half your age? And why wasn't Roy yelling at him yet?

"Are you alright, Roy? You have been unusually quiet…" Hughes commented but Roy merely stared disdainfully at him.

"Lieutenant Colonel," Riza began, at the rescue, "But the Colonel seems unable to converse right now. He has apparently turned mute overnight but before you ask… we don't know how the hell that happened either."

Hughes gaped openly at the lieutenant almost as if she had grown an extra arm.

Roy groaned. Oh dear gate, what have I done to warrant this kind of silent torture? Roy groused mutely as he stared hopelessly at his crew. How had this come to happen? There had been no warning or signs of his body changing. It had all happened so abruptly. But why him? Why now?

Why… now?!? OMG!

Roy shot up straight and turned to Hawkeye with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. He spread out his hands in a "What do I do?" gesture and his expression that of a helpless teenager. Not that he is.

"What is it, Sir?" Hawkeye asked, anxious. Roy hand- signaled and signed and Hawkeye gaped openly at him, her jaw almost touching the floor.

"For the love of-…" Hawkeye began before whirling around to look at the small wall clock that was perched on top of the door frame of Roy's inner sanctum. "You've got ten minutes before you're scheduled to conduct the inspection around the compound, Roy. But I guess you don't want to go around with that… err… frame, I bet."

Roy nodded and sank back down on the couch. Hughes sauntered over and sat down beside him, wrapping one arm around the disgruntled Colonel. "Don't worry, Roy. We'll take things from here. Ed can do the inspection by himself…" he looked at Ed and wasn't really surprised that the blonde frowned at him half-heartedly, "and you can stay here and finish whatever's there that needs finishing."

Roy nodded absent-mindedly and stood up to sit behind his desk. It looked so much larger now when he sat there in that body. But Roy was too preoccupied with what he was thinking to notice. He obediently began his work without having a gun barrel inches from his face and without any more incentive.

Hughes frowned. Why did this happen to his best friend? How? What happened? Questions tumbled and twirled across his head, battling for his immediate attention but he shot them off at the back of his mind when he turned to Ed who looked like he was deep in thought.

"You should be going now, Ed."

Ed jumped a little and he turned his big golden eyes at Hughes, "Going where?"

"To start the inspection. I think you can take Havoc with you if you-"

"No, I'll be fine by my own. But afterwards I'm heading off to the library."

"The library?" Hughes blinked and his eyes narrowed at Ed, "You don't happen to know what's going on with Roy now, do you?"

Ed shook his head slowly, not entirely sure, "I think I have a clue. I think it has something to do with alchemy. But I'm not exactly sure."

Hughes nodded, trusting Ed with that hypothesis. "I'll leave that to you then. But if you do find something please tell me."

"Sure thing." Ed said while he nonchalantly waved a hand at them before leaving the office.

"Let's hope he does find something." Hughes muttered before nodding at Roy's other subordinates and leaving the office followed by the others.

* * *

Ed was making his way back to Roy's office deep in thought. His gold eyes didn't really focus on where he was going. It wasn't really possible now, was it? He thought as he turned down a corner.

The inspection he conducted that morning had distracted him from thinking to much about Roy's condition. The compound was fine and each department seemed to be doing well.

Artillery was busier than the rest but that was to be expected when the military demanded more from them. Research and Communications were bustling with normal office traffic and large amounts of paperwork. Intel was running smoothly with Hughes in-charge and they seemed to be rather lively this week. Personnel seemed full of activity seeing as there were new recruits from the east and from what he'd seen there was this minor problem about some of the recruits' lodgings. But they had reassured him that they were going to settle it by this afternoon.

But when Ed reached the library there were no distractions or buzzing personnel. He only had his questions growling at him for attention. The library was silent which only encouraged the questions to wrestle for his immediate attention even more. So he settled for one before his mind decided to packed up and bolt off to next Tuesday.

Why Roy? That was a good one. Yes, why the bastard of all people? Ed thought as he absentmindedly pulled out a book from one of the shelves. Was there someone who hated the bastard? Ed paused. Yes. There were a lot probably. But were it really people who hated Mustang who have done this?

And that was another question. Crap.

Ed's frown deepened further as he sat heavily on one of the library's chairs. Were it really people who hated Roy who have done this? Ed stared at the book he had gotten from the shelf and gave it a very meaningful glare almost as if the book contained answers to all of his questions.

If it were really people who hated Mustang who have done this what was their objective? Ed frowned at the book. That was another question, dammit! Ed flung his hands to his hair and pulled at it, hissing as pain shot to his scalp, for the fucking love of the gate! When would these questions ever end?!

Ed stilled for a moment as a thought suddenly hit him like a rambling train. There was a very big possibility to it. No matter where Ed looked or how he tipped the situation in different angles there was always this big possibility…

Ed stopped on his tracks and stared at the door of Roy's office as if he didn't know what he was doing just standing there. Was this just another game the Gate wanted to play?

* * *

Roy Mustang stared at the papers laid out in front of him, at his mercy… because really, they were in the brink of spontaneous combustion. Roy had never been so angry in his life. Who wouldn't be? To find yourself looking half your age and to lose your voice overnight was not one to be taken too lightly.

He had a career and dream to pursue for the gate's sake! And what can he do now that he looked like a god-damn teenager?! He was going to _burn_ the person responsible for this. No, burning was too good for them. He was going to broil them. Roy nodded; yes broiling was much slower and he was definitely going to savor every moment.

Fuery entered the office tentatively with an "Excuse me, Sir" and saluted out of habit "I have brought you your coffee." He said as he placed the mentioned beverage on the desk.

Roy beamed. Oh, yes! Coffee at last! He looked up at Fuery and flashed him a brief smile before nodding. Fuery momentarily blushed at the smile and saluted before leaving the office.

Roy took the drink and blew at it, making small ripples on the surface before bringing it up to his lips. He took a sip and soon enough it was spurted out of his mouth in a brown spray.

WHAT IS THIS?! Roy fumed. This wasn't coffee! Roy dumped its contents in a nearby trash bin and thumped his head on his desk. He was going to demote Fuery! By a head! Good Gate, that coffee was bitter!

After a few moments Roy regained his composure. He straightened up and stared at the papers before him.

How was he going to explain this to the higher-ups? Would he even be able to explain this without his freakin' voice? And after explaining would he be considered a freak of nature? Or would he be thrown to laboratories to be experimented on?

That last thought made him shiver. Good gate anything but that. He sighed heavily and threw his arms on his desk as a make-shift pillow and laid his head there.

Hawkeye would understand. He just needed to escape reality for a while. And probably when he awoke he was back to normal. Maybe this all a bad dream. He smiled.

Yes, he was going to take a short nap and probably when he awoke everything would be just the way it was.

* * *

Ed was stunned at the sight that greeted him upon entering Roy's office. The late afternoon sun filtered from the office's windows, coloring Roy's pale face in sparkling red-orange. He was asleep, sprawled out on his desk and breathing evenly.

Ed sauntered quietly towards the desk, his eyes never leaving Roy's sleeping face. He was… -as mush as Ed really hated to admit it- beautiful. From his long and dark eyelashes to his nose sculptured nose and to those pink lips tinged in warm orange.

He reached out but his hand hesitated just above Roy's dark hair. But before he could touch the dark locks Roy steered and Ed's hand quickly dropped back to his side.

Roy blinked and rubbed his eyes as if that was enough to chase the sleepiness he still felt. He looked around the office before his dark orbs settled on to Ed who was standing right beside his desk.

Roy stared. Yes as in gawk at the man before him. With the orange afternoon light Ed's hair glowed like molten gold and his eyes were warm as he looked at Roy.

And they stood like that just before the building shook and Roy's windows shattered with the sheer force of the explosion.

* * *

**A/N: **:D –grins- Okay. I know that was evil. XD And I'm so sorry for the awfully late update. School started and it doesn't want me to touch any of my fics yet and it demands my full attention else I fail and get a pretty good whack upside my head courtesy of a lot of people. XD

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review. I love all of you! TT-TT All I did was reread all of your reviews again and it lit the spark back up and I continued typing again! XD

So please. **REVIEW!** XD I've got cookies! XP


	3. Disappearances

A/N; O_O Yes, that was what I looked like when I checked my Story Stats just recently. And I was like "Shit, since when did my alerts and favorites become this many?!" And then I was like, "I must move my ass and type that next chappie, orz." And then mechanicmaiden151 was like, "yes, you should." -_-"' I am so horrible.

But anyway! I am so happy that many reviewed! You guys are the best! Really!! Your reviews inspire people, that they do! I mean, I was pretty overwhelmed by the many reviews and the many story alerts that I was bouncing around the house and was making up my own version of the Happy Dance. All your words have inspired me. I am such a review whore. -__-""

I want to apologize for the extremely irregular and long updates. I am busy with school as a senior and thesis is such an attention whore that when I take my eyes off it, it holds me at gunpoint and I have no choice but comply and work on it. -__-"'

And when I _do_ get free time, all I do is stare at a blank MS Word window for five minutes, stare…stare… and then slam my head on the keyboard. Yes, massive writer's block right there. And to top it off with extreme stress.

Yes, I know this is a very very long author's note. So I will be shutting up now. O_o

Please enjoy!

**Wishing Well**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or the characters therein. They all rightfully belong to Hiromu Arakawa.**

**Chapter 3: Disappearance**

Edward started as a cough bubbled up his throat. A golden eye opened but it closed immediately when the blood that trickled down from a cut on his forehead invaded it. He groaned. This was just his luck.

Just when he had questions to ask the bastard, too.

_The bastard!_

Ed's head jerked up and he immediately regretted the action when he felt something snap behind him. He growled as he attempted to stand up, only that a wooden beam was right above his lower back, pressing him painfully unto the floor.

He let out a long-suffering sigh. _Damn, damn, damn._ It was a continued mantra in his mind as he looked around, as if help would magically appear before him. He could hardly make out the office, given how strong the explosion was. All he could see were wooden and steal beams in different directions. Some of them were broken in half while the steel ones were dented beyond recognition as gravel and large chunks of debris littered the area.

That was all he could make out from the faint seeping of sunlight in between the building's wreckage.

He examined his automail, which was pressed to his side in a rather awkward angle by two intersecting steel beams, checking if it was still working or if he was bound to get an earful from a certain blonde mechanic some time soon.

He let out a dark chuckle. Here he was, crushed by several beams and might not make it out alive if said beams were to crush him if someone above made a stupid move of rearranging them in an attempt to find survivors, worrying about getting scolded by an impulsive wrench-throwing mechanic. The blood loss was getting to him, he just knew it.

He coughed as he inhaled dust as the debris above him cracked a bit and he could make out frantic yelling from afar. That relieved him a bit, but he still didn't know if Mustang was okay.

He cleared his throat before saying, "Hello?"

It still came out cracked though. But it wasn't like he cared anyway.

"Hey, bastard, are you alright? Hello?"

And that was when Ed mentally kicked himself. How can a mute teenager answer him anyway? He momentarily scolded himself for being so stupid before attempting yet again to know whether the bastard was okay or not.

"Hey, bastard. If you're conscious, can you please give me any indication of your sanity?"

And although it was faint, he heard a small grunt to his right. He slowly turned his head to the direction of the sound and for once he'd never thought that he'd be able to feel that sort of pang that shot through him at the time he had almost lost Alphonse again.

Roy was on his stomach and his head was turned to the side with one of his eyes closed probably due to the fact that blood was running down on one side of his head. Two intersecting steel beams pinned him down by the chest and stomach and another two were on top of his legs.

He'd end up with a few cracked and broken bones at most and that fact seemed to have relieved Ed after the initial feeling of fear that had washed through him. Fear for yet another loved one's well-being.

"Are you alright?" Ed asked again.

Roy gave him a 'You've got to be kidding me' look before mouthing "I think I've broken a few ribs".

Ed nodded. That was actually better than hearing the bastard say, 'No, I think one of the beams impaled me'. Now all they had to do was wait for some help to come. Roy's team was probably buried under the building as well. And Ed and Roy hoped that they were all alright.

**O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:**

Edward sat on an uncomfortable white hospital bed, already bandaged up and treated, as well as the other members of Roy's team who were all staying in the same hospital room for quick recovery.

Luckily, Master Sergeant Kain Fuery and Chief Warrant Officer Vato Falman were not present during the explosion and were spared from the horrible fate underneath broken cement and steel beams and were now carrying information and paperwork in and out of the hospital room.

Edward glared at the white wall in front of him as his metal hand fisted around the file he currently held. That explosion from a week ago had NOT left any signs of it being a freak accident. Because for one thing, only that part of the building had collapsed and the area left a faint tingling of alchemy in its wake. Many trusted state alchemists confirmed to that statement and they were currently looking for any trace of the transmutation circle that was used to trigger the explosion.

It had worried the higher echelons of the military that someone had actually targeted them. Maybe it was another potential resistance group? Were there new forming guerilla groups out there? And if there were, they had alchemists with them. Talented and powerful ones too, seeing that the explosion had been controlled and centered into that part of the compound only.

Edward's eyes narrowed further. Why there? Were they trying to kill someone from that side of the building? Or were there other transmutation circles just waiting to be activated around the compound?

But before Edward could continue with his musings, the door opened slowly as Maes Hughes strode in without his usual goofy grin. His hair looked like it hadn't seen a comb in weeks and his uniform was rumpled.

Ed let his features soften when he saw how tired Hughes looked and offered him a small smile. Hughes returned it with one of his own before plopping into the extra space in Roy's hospital bed, given how there was much room left.

Hughes lay perpendicular to Roy, who was sitting up with his back pressed against the headboard, with his legs dangling from the side of the bed.

Roy frowned before whacking Hughes' head with an extra pillow he supplied from somewhere. Really, what had the man been up to, to visit him looking like he had just crawled out from a chicken hole?

"I didn't know you missed me that much, Roy." Hughes said laughingly as the tension slowly left him. Roy merely raised a delicate black eyebrow at him before he huffed.

It had been difficult to give Roy the medical attention he needed without getting questioned by the infirmary personnel just who the boy was. Hughes and the others almost broke up into cold sweat at that time. What if Roy was to be taken to the labs for experimentation? For research?

But that never came. The staff had only given them a smile before they rushed off to treat the de-aged Colonel. But they never knew when the news would reach those promotion-hungry bastards. Once word gets to them that Colonel Mustang somehow looked 13 years younger they'd probably stick their noses into Roy's office and sniff the truth out.

But now… Now, that wasn't what they were worried about. There was a threat against the military. And even with all its prejudices and egotistical ways, it was their job to protect it.

Hughes sighed and seemingly produced a manila envelope from somewhere and threw it at Ed's direction.

"I want you to check these out, Ed." Hughes said as he placed his arms under his head to serve as a makeshift pillow, "It seems that the alchemists found something underneath all that rubble."

Ed nodded and proceeded to inspect the papers. Hughes then turned to Roy with narrowed eyes, "I want you to be careful, Roy. My instincts are telling me that that explosion wasn't meant for the military."

Roy frowned. Dammit, he thought, why did all of these things have to happen simultaneously? Was there any connection to the explosion and him being de-aged? Because the timing was all too perfect. And if Hughes did suspect that that explosion was indeed meant for him, what was the enemy's intention?

"Intel is hectic right now. As for Research and Personnel. They're running around like chickens with their heads cut off with the higher-ups demanding more from them. I swear, the only thing that keeps them up and functional is the coffee in their system." Hughes grossed out.

"The offices underneath and above yours are being repaired and temporary office assignments have been given out and once you are done recuperating, they said you can start investigating any alchemy related detail with regards to the incident." He said.

Roy nodded. Fair enough, he thought.

"But how're you gonna do all that… looking like that, Chief?" Havoc drawled out from the other bed. He had suffered a sprained ankle, minor bruises, a small concussion and a few broken ribs but still he looked like it didn't do any harm to him.

Roy frowned. How indeed.

"We'll think of something. But right now there's other news I have to tell you, Roy." Hughes said, staring up at Roy, "Communications, not 25 meters away from where the explosion happened, has lost 59 personnel. We, from Intel, believe that they disappeared when the explosion occurred."

Roy stared at him deadpan. Brilliant. But why was he not really surprised? Oh yes, right. Waking up in the morning to find yourself looking half your age was ridiculous enough. A disappearance of 50 people was as common as the sun rising up every morning.

"Fifty-nine?" Breda echoed, slowing sitting up as he rubbed his eyes from the grit that had formed in his sleep.

Hughes nodded solemnly. "They all disappeared around 3: 40- 4:00 pm; the time when the explosion occurred. And then some witnesses testified that they saw blue light flickering inside the building while they rushed off to see the explosion."

Ed's eyes narrowed, "So you are saying this has something to do with alchemy?"

Hughes shrugged, "I don't know, Ed. I am not the alchemy freak here."

Ed brought his gold orbs back to the files in front of him, eyes skimming it over again as different scenarios played in his head. That blue light just had to be an alchemic reaction, he thought as his eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"Did any of the other alchemists comment about the disappearances?" Ed asked after a minute of dead and strained silence.

Hughes frowned, "So you think this does have something to do with alchemy?"

Ed shrugged as he tossed the files away from his person as he flopped back down on his bed, throwing his arms behind his head as he stared at the dull white ceiling above him. "Well, the blue light does tell us something. It's either from an alchemic reaction or from faulty wiring."

Hughes nodded as he sat up. "I'll get some alchemists down there if there weren't any sent yet. But right now I want all of you to recover fast, alright? Eat well and rest well." Hughes said as his yellow eyes scanned the room of its occupants.

"And Roy, maintain a low profile for now. We don't want you thrown into one of those perverse, warped and demented labs yet. And get yourself up and functioning soon. We _will _need your help."

Roy rolled his eyes, 'I know that already, idiot.' he mouthed slowly.

Hughes smiled and stood up, slowly making his way to the hospital door. "I will see you all in a bit."

And with that Hughes left.

**O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:**

A/N: -_-"' I know this isn't really very satisfying. But I just HAD to post something up. Just to make sure that all of you know that yes, I am still alive and kicking.

Just… distracted. -__-" (No, please don't bite me! lol) The Death Note fandom called me, you know? -_-"'

I know that's not a really big excuse. But coupled up with massive writer's block, you never know what happens.

I'll try to give my other stories the attention they damn deserve right now. MOTH is rotting over there in one corner. ¬_¬).. I just know that I lost a few reviewers with my absence and I won't be surprised if no one reads it anymore. TT-TT Wishing Well might have lost some, too. *sobs* But that's completely mine (and Death Note's!) fault.

Please review and give me some inspiration. TT-TT I feel so horrible….


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